Hockey programming plans announced for HARBORcenter

Submitted

HARBORcenter President
John Koelmel today made several
announcements regarding hockey programming at HARBORcenter, including the hiring of Kevyn Adams as vice president and director of the HARBORcenter Academy of Hockey, a
premier hockey training and development program at the complex. Adams will
partner with Nik Fattey, HARBORcenter Vice president and
director of hockey, in leading all activities and programming at the new
facility.

Also
announced were plans for youth partnership and coaching development programs
and the expansion of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres Youth Organization from one team to
seven teams, encompassing several youth-hockey-age groups, to be overseen by Larry Playfair and Michael Peca.

"Hockey
is obviously at the core of everything we're doing at HARBORcenter," Koelmel said. "On its surface, HARBORcenter will be a world-class
hockey and entertainment destination with amenities that aren't found in a
hockey complex anywhere in the country. However, the lifeblood of the complex
will be an environment built to attract, foster and showcase hockey talent at
all levels. Our goal is to make HARBORcenter
an ideal venue for hockey at all levels to converge and allow for the
game to grow in a way we haven't seen before."

The HARBORcenter Academy of Hockey will be
a premier hockey training and development program that will combine both on-
and off-ice programming for hockey players and coaches at all levels. The academy,
which will be overseen by Adams, will boast a full-time staff of coaches who
will lead and support skill-building programs for players and coaches to
provide a slate of rigorous on-ice training programs. Off-ice programming will
include skill-specific lectures and public classes that will teach the
fundamentals of hockey and cultivate mental skills to promote a well-balanced
and exceptional hockey education.

"Developing
as a hockey player never stops, no matter what level you're playing at," Adams
said. "The HARBORcenter Academy
of Hockey will be a tremendous experience for players and coaches - from the
youth level all the way up to the professional ranks - to come together and
continue to grow as a hockey player, both physically and mentally. I'm excited
to bring the things I've learned as a player and coach in the NHL to HARBORcenter, as well as implementing
new and innovative concepts to enhance participant development."

Adams, a Clarence native, comes to HARBORcenter from the Buffalo Sabres coaching staff, where he
spent the past two years as an assistant coach with the team. Prior to that,
Adams worked for two years as the Sabres' player development coach, working
with players on their individual skills through on-ice drills and off-ice video
sessions. His coaching experience stems from a 10-year playing career in the
NHL, during which he played for six clubs, including the Toronto Maple Leafs,
Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Phoenix Coyotes
and Chicago Blackhawks. Originally drafted 25th overall by the
Boston Bruins in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Adams helped lead the Hurricanes to
the franchise's first Stanley Cup in 2005-06.

An
inventive aspect of HARBORcenter's hockey
programming will be the youth partnership and coaching development programs,
which will make HARBORcenter's extensive
hockey education tools available to hockey teams throughout the region.

"These
partnership and development programs will be an invaluable resource for hockey
teams, players and coaches that want to significantly improve the quality of
their organizations," Fattey said. "Programs like these aren't available
anywhere in the country right now. Making these resources available to youth
organizations in this area will be a major step in pushing hockey programs in
Buffalo to that next level, where they'll be competing with the best of the
best across the U.S. and Canada."

The
coaching development program, within the HARBORCENTER Academy of Hockey, will
expand the opportunities for locally connected coaches to learn the tools that
are needed in the industry on and off the ice, including familiarity with
hockey technology, skill development, off-ice training, scouting and program
management. While supporting all of the programs offered throughout the year at
HARBORcenter, the on-staff
coaches will also be furthering their own professional development and
opportunities.

The
Buffalo Junior Sabres Youth Organization, which will call HARBORcenter home, will also be
undergoing changes as part of the announced hockey programming. The Junior "A"
team, which currently plays in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, will practice
and play at HARBORcenter, have a
dedicated locker facility and otherwise benefit from full access to the
facility.

In
addition, the youth organization will be expanding to include a total of seven
teams across multiple age groups. In addition to the Junior "A" level team, the
Junior Sabres umbrella will include two teams (minor/major) at the Pee Wee
level, two teams (minor/major) at the Bantam level and teams at the 16U and 18U
levels. The organization will be overseen by Playfair, president of the Buffalo
Junior Sabres, and Peca, the general manager and head coach of the Junior "A"
team.

"Expanding
to seven teams under the Buffalo Junior Sabres moniker is a sign that youth
hockey continues to prosper in Western New York," Playfair said. "It speaks to
the ever-growing crop of very talented young hockey players in this area and
the commitment this region shows to the sport."

Since
1975, the Buffalo Junior Sabres franchise has offered Western New York's elite
hockey players a setting to hone their skills while providing a pathway to
further their hockey careers at the collegiate and professional levels. By
educating and guiding young hockey players, the Buffalo Junior Sabres have
launched the careers of several NHL players, including Adams, Brian Gionta and
Ryan Callahan. Proudly owned by the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association, the
Buffalo Junior Sabres remain committed to its foundation of educating and
developing young hockey talent in Western New York and Southern Ontario.

"The
mission going forward is to make the Buffalo Junior Sabres the best
developmental organization in the United States," Peca said. "Our new home at HARBORcenter will only accelerate this
growth even more, and hockey continues to have a bright future here."